The Nation Newspaper

Category: Building & Properties

  • NBC donates recycling machine to firm

    The Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited has donated a bailer (machine for compressing Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles, cans, etc.) to Wecyclers Nigeria Limited, a beverage packaging waste collector.

    This is to support the organisation’s expansion of its  waste collection and encourage recycling in the packaging industry.

    The NBC’s effort is not only a part of its Extended Producers Responsibility initiative programme, but also an effort at encouraging energy efficiency, water conservation and promoting sustainable packaging, focused on the reduction of carbon footprint by engaging with business partners to actively explore solutions to a “green” culture that supports sustainability.

    At the handover of the equipment  in the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) office in  Surulere,  Mr. Uzo Odenigbo, Head, Public Affairs and Communications, NBC, explained that his firm’s sponsorship and participation in recycling was borne out of the its commitment to demonstrate its Expanded Producer Responsibility (EPR).

    He noted that with the partnership with Wecyclers, other beverage packaging waste collectors and recyclers would continue to grow as the company is further committed to expand the scale and scope of the recovery and buyback  scheme according to the Coca-Cola System’s compliance plan on EPR.

    Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Wecyclers, Mrs. Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, expressed her gratitude to the management of NBC for their support to its commitment to recycling.

    She stated that after NBC’s previous donation of eight Wecycles, a fleet of low-cost cargo bicycles in December, last year, which aided in scaling the company’s collection and recovery of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles waste among densely populated, low-income households in Lagos, the donation of the bailer has come as a great relief as it would facilitate more collection and ease the difficulty in the transfer of collected PET bottles to the recycling plant.

  • How global warming affects built environment

    How global warming affects built environment

    In the past 50 years, the average global temperature may have increased at the fastest rate in history, provoking fears that unless emissions causing climate change are curbed, the temperature could be about nine degrees higher by the end of this century. At an event in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, experts concluded that the problem impact on the construction sector, writes MUYIWA LUCAS.

    Global climate keeps changing. Some of the changes take place over millions of years.  For instance, the slow passage of ice-age to ice-age. This steady rise in global temperature is known as Global warming (GW).

    According to experts, the global temperature change is attributed to some factors, but most recently is the increasing atmospheric concentration of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (NH4), Nitrous oxide (NO2) and Chloroflucarbons (CFCs).

    The rapid warming since the 1980s has culminated in the hottest six months worldwide with a record in 1998; this has fuelled fears and debates that human emissions of carbon dioxide and other Greenhouse gases are warming the global climate in an uncontrolled and catastrophic manner.

    Now, the consequences of GW are manifesting much faster and higher than predicted, which has made GW a major environmental threat facing the world today. The peril of global warming is recognised and described as the greatest problem the world faces and as a weapon of mass destruction of human and its environment.  These fears are buoyed by the 2001 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which warned that if actions are not taken, global temperature may rise by as high as one to three per cent by 2100.

    This development has triggered the call for practitioners and stakeholders in the construction industry and indeed all stakeholders in the built environment, to understand the process of GW and its implications for sustainable environment. This is moreso when international agreements are being forged in an attempt to control emissions and limit the long-term human induced warming under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

    With the construction industry tied to most sectors that are the focus of GW initiatives, including transportation, power generation, residential and commercial building, manufacturing, mining, forestry, and waste management, experts maintain that knowledge about short-term weather and long-term climate variability are essential to adequately design and successfully manage construction projects. This is especially so in developing countries, including Nigeria, which are said to be  vulnerable to this situation because their economies are dependent on climate-sensitive natural resources, but are yet, less able to cope with the impact.

    These and more were the submissions of Dr. Faith Ekong of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Environmental Studies, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, while presenting a paper titled: “An overview of Global Warming, environmental sustainability and their impacts on construction activities” during the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) workshop.

    According to Ekong, the industry is one of the world’s largest industries that are important to the economy as it contributes to its the development. For instance, he observed that the cement manufacturing sector alone account for five per cent of global man-made carbon dioxide (Co2) emissions.

    Ekong warned that decisions made about building design, especially about infrastructure have repercussions far into the future. Climate change, he explained, affects the built environment by increasing wear on technical infrastructure and the external walls of buildings and by increasing the risk of flooding in certain areas. This, he reckoned, may also make built environments less attractive to residents at times.

    “The effects of climate change need to be taken into consideration in all aspects of construction, from land use planning to the positioning, construction, and life-cycle management of buildings. Clever infrastructure planning can counteract some of the negative effects of climate change and create attractive built environments. This is the tenets of environmental sustainability,” Ekong said.

    Although he said on-site construction of buildings has a relatively low-impact emission, it is influenced by choice of building materials, construction techniques and modes/distance of transportation of materials deployed. Also, this effect is further felt during maintenance of building due to significant energy use, especially heating and lightning.

    Ekong revealed that GW has also impacted on the cost of construction and repair of buildings. For instance, he said a British study of possible effects of climate changes on buildings and construction showed that an increase in average wind speed of six per cent could damage about a million buildings in Great Britain alone, with repairs of such properties costing about two billion British pounds sterling.

    “Global warming is likely to increase the challenges of property development and the need for property maintenance than to decrease them especially external surfaces of buildings are likely to suffer increasingly from wet and winding conditions as a result of Climate Change. The external surfaces will deteriorate faster requiring more regular maintenance in the future. Extreme weather conditions will increase erosion and the cost of control,” he warned.

    To militate against this, the don recommends that lower clinker content be used in the process since about 50 per cent of Co2 emissions in the construction industry occur during the process of producing an intermediate product called clinker. This can be reduced by diluting the clinker content and grinding the cement finer to maintain 28 days.

    Also, it is recommended that increasing risk of floods need to be controlled by identifying areas that are most vulnerable to flooding and discouraging property development in those areas, by imposing regulations on planning in high risk areas, and by specifying and enforcing development setbacks for buildings, especially along water bodies area liable to flooding and for all wetlands. Green Construction- a sustainable design and construction to use resources more efficiently while creating healthier and more efficient homes, should also be encouraged. The aim here is to leave a lighter footprint on the environment through conservation resources, while balancing energy-efficient, cost-effective, low-maintenance products. Green construction involves finding the delicate balance between construction and sustainable environment.

    Ekong also advised engineers on the selection of materials for construction, as most construction now uses rigid and blown foamed insulation made of plastics. The use plastic in construction, he explained, often uses less greenhouse gas per application than traditional materials like cement.

    He advised engineers on the need for proper Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for every project, especially those projects that are likely to impact the environment negatively. The essence of EIA is to determine the likely effects such projects might have on the immediate and remote environment, as this will ensure that the overall environment is not adversely affected.

  • Nigerite shows off its refurbished reception

    Nigerite has unveiled its refurbished reception made through dry construction.

    The firm’s Head of Dry Construction Business Unit, Mr. Wale Ogungbe, said the launch was to showcase the application of Kalsi products in dry construction, especially as it applies to building and construction.

    Besides, he said the refurbished reception office would serve as a testimony to stakeholders, and create more awareness for the Kalsi brand as well as demonstrate that Kalsi can be used to compliment, build and remodel already existing buildings and open area offices.

    Nigerite’s Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Abayomi Lawal, said: “Dry construction initiative is an on-going initiative which has already been introduced but is only being launched. It is part of fulfilling a long term vision to be seen as a solutions provider to enable consumers build the whole or different building components in the most modern way.”

    He also said so far, Nigerite has trained distributors, carpenters and technicians on the use of dry construction especially in combination with the traditional building construction methods.

    Also, distributors were promised a new point of sales to display the new product. The company, he added, has organised similar campaigns to explain the advantages of Kalsi dry construction.

    Kalsi Floors are cement boards used for sub-floor applications in houses, apartments and lightweight commercial buildings. They are also suitable solutions for false-floor applications to conceal services in buildings. It can be finished with marble, granite, ceramic, or any other finishing material of choice.

  • Nigeria to partner AU for housing finance

    Nigeria to partner AU for housing finance

    Stakeholders at the just concluded African Union for Housing Finance (AUHF) Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, fashioned out strategies to tackle inadequate habitable shelter on the continent. Nigeria pledged to partner the continental body for effective eradication of impediments to decent shelter in the continent, MUYIWA LUCAS writes.

     

    For participants at the just concluded African Union for Housing Finance Conference (AUHF), which held in Cape Town, South Africa, the choice of the theme: “Alternative Building Technologies for Affordable housing construction”, could not have been more apt. This is because it could be seen as a second part of the this year’s World Habitat Day theme: “Voices from the Slums.”

    This is because of the need to ensure greater access to home ownership in the African countries through the adoption of new building systems.

    Experts at the conference did not fail to emphasise the importance of having a sustainable strategy to curbing the hydra-headed problems of housing on the continent, especially in view of the need to address the effects of rapid urbanisation on the continent and the acute shortage in the housing needs of the low-income and medium income segments who constitute the vast majority of the national population of each country in Africa.

    But irrespective of the fact that the African has continued to suffer from poor housing finance, Nigeria’s Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi, has assured of the country’s readiness to continue to partner with the AUHF. This, she said, was with a view to addressing the challenges constraining the building and construction industry from serving as a key driver of growth in virtually all African countries.

    Eyakenyi, Union for, reiterated that events around the continent has underscored the importance of enhanced access to affordable housing in the building of strong, healthy and equitable societies. These realisation, she further noted, should stimulate ingenious strategies and innovative solutions for ensuring housing delivery not only at the right scale and cost  but also  we3ith the right methods that can be harnessed in individual countries, while also serving as a bolster to each country’s respective efforts across the continent. This, she said, would effectively reposition the housing and urban development sector as a true engine of growth and sustainable development.

    And perhaps trying to chart a path for other African countries to follow, the Minister disclosed that her country is conscious of the need to deliver affordable homes both at a reduced cost and on the right scale. The government, she explained, had to develop the national housing and urban development policies for the realisation of this strategic national imperative. These two policies have been further consolidated with the development of a 30-year Roadmap for the housing and urban development sector which is aimed at addressing all the ramifications of the challenges presently facing the sector. Some of these challenges include inadequate finance for mass housing delivery, low capital base of primary and secondary mortgage banks, inaccessibility to land with secure titles, improper balance between the use of conventional  method for  housing construction and new

    However, Eyakenyi said the dearth of funds on the demand side had been addressed with the recapitalisation of the primary mortgage banks (PMIs) and the establishment of the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) while efforts are being intensified to address the supply side through the provision of a window for construction finance.

    “The key to delivering on a massive scale to reduce the national housing deficit is the adoption of alternative building technologies, hence, our present efforts in facilitating a private sector-led delivery of mass housing process through various on-going new housing development schemes across the country,” Eyakenyi said.

    She praised the AUHF for its foresight in serving as a key point of reference in housing finance matters in Africa, and charged the body to continue to play a more decisive role in ensuring financial inclusiveness in Africa in the important area of housing finance for the promotion of growth with equity.

    The AUHF is a gathering of individual and corporate members comprising mortgage banks, building societies, housing corporations and mobilisers of funds for housing development on the continent.

    The AUHF conference looked at sustainable housing and new green technologies, rapid construction methodologies that address scale, and affordable construction technologies that realise housing affordability for lower income earners. Mechanisms to finance these approaches were considered on the second day, which ended with a 30th anniversary celebration of the AUHF’s founding in 1984. The conference was held with an exhibition of alternative building technology providers, and raised the profile of this key issue for demand among policy makers and practitioners across the continent.

  • SON, moulders agree on strength of blocks

    SON, moulders agree on strength of blocks

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria have agreed that only 24 blocks should be produced from a 50kg bag of cement and not 42 as presently being done. Also, they are to use the prescribed 42.5 grade of cement for moulding blocks, and 32.5 grade for plastering. They also arrived at a particular mix in ratio of other additives which would produce 24 blocks from a 50kg bag of cement, stating that the 42 blocks being produced from the same quantity of cement are substandard.

    The moulders, who are members of National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria, arrived at this conclusion at the end of an extensive training session organised for them by SON on the rudiments for correct mixes needed to achieve particular strength of blocks for the construction of buildings in the country. The implication of this is that the price of a block will move up from between N120 and N130 to between N200 and N250.

    “I sell a block for N220 and the strength is exactly what we agreed upon with SON,” said the President of the National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria, Alhaji Rasheed Adewale.

    SON, Adewale said, has been gracious enough to embark on free training of block moulders across the country. “In the Lagos area, we have had trainings twice in the last one year. We know similar trainings have held in various geopolitical zones. So what is the basis of the allegation that SON wants to destroy the industry and send thousands out of employment?” he asked rhetorically, adding that standards improve all the time based on new findings or research being done. Therefore, he further said, when a standard improves, what was standard may become substandard; hence, the standards used in moulding blocks years ago have gone through some changes.

    He is of the opinion that block moulders and cement users in Nigeria must be grateful for the conflict for supremacy among the manufacturers, which in the last few weeks, has led to unbelievable crash in the price of cement, which for years now has been a subject of debate between the association and other stakeholders.

    Adewale said that block moulders are happy at the availability of cement at reduced price. “We are happier with the drop in prices. We are also happy with the fact that Nigerian can now export cement. We are not interested in brands. Our interest and duty are to obey the orders of the regulator. The regulator says the 32.5 mpa should be limited to plastering works while the 42.5 and 52.5 mpa should be used for block moulding and other reinforcement works. The association accepts. Anyone who does not want to obey is free. That is something between him and the regulator. He and others with him should not drag the association into their opposition,” he said. For him, it is mischief to say that using 42.5 cement grade would jeopardise block moulding business, explaining that the 32.5 and the 42.5 grades sell at almost the same price but that there was no doubt about the superior strength of the 42.5 grade.

    The block moulders said nobody has a right to challenge standards set by SON because the organisation is the arm of government responsible for enforcing standards. Therefore, they reasoned, what concerns them is the 42.5 grade approved by SON in accordance with Nigeria Industrial Standards, explaining that in the past every grade of cement was used to produce blocks and that because of the national embarrassment building collapse causes, SON saw the need to provide standards in the block industry.

    They lauded SON for the mentorship, saying “we appreciate what the SON is doing for the block moulders to ensure we produce quality blocks. SON has said anybody who does not belong to the Block Moulders Association of Nigeria will not be allowed to mould blocks.”

  • Emaar Group enters Abuja Centenary City

    The Address Hotels + Resorts, the five star premium hotel brand of Emaar Hospitality Group, a subsidiary of Dubai-based global property developer Emaar Properties, is set to mark its entry into the Nigerian market as part of its international expansion strategy at the Abuja Centenary City.

    Touted as an ambitious city of the future, which ushers in a new era of economic prosperity to the country, the Abuja Centenary City is believed to be a fitting tribute to the country on its 100th year of formation. Envisaged as a spectacular city hub, the 1,300 hectare master-planned community is the largest of its kind in Africa, and is developed by Eagle Hills, a private investment and real estate development company as part of a joint venture agreement with the federal government  Emaar Properties is the developer of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest and most-visited retail and entertainment destination which welcomed 75 million visitors last year and over 58 million visitors in the first nine months of 2014.

    The pioneer of integrated master-planned communities in Dubai, Emaar has successfully taken its development model to key international markets in the Middle East, North Africa, Pan-Asia, Europe and North America. Creating significant value to local economies through its path-breaking developments, Emaar has also proven its competencies in hospitality & leisure and shopping malls & retail.

    A highlight of Emaar’s approach to developing integrated lifestyle destinations is Downtown Dubai, the 500-acre, US$20 billion flagship development described as ‘The Centre of Now’ and featuring global icons including: Burj Khalifa, The Dubai Mall and The Dubai Fountain, the tallest performing fountain. Emaar has launched several prestigious residential projects in Dubai which have received strong investor interest from international investors including from Nigeria.

    Highlighting the expansion plans of The Address Hotels + Resorts, the chief operating officer of the Group, Mr. Philippe Zuber, said: “Nigeria is one of the fastest growing markets in Africa and serves as a perfect fit to complement our international expansion strategy. Abuja Centenary City offers an ideal and high-growth environment for us to establish our credentials as a premium hotel operator in the country.”

    “We see a strong growth opportunity in Nigeria, particularly in Abuja Centenary City, to introduce our hotel brand that is defined by the philosophy of ‘Where Life Happens,’” said Mr. Zuber, adding that it signposts a focus on providing a more personal and approachable experience to guests, whether business, leisure or group travellers, in a vibrant lifestyle environment.

    He explained that the firm’s goal is to set a new benchmark in the hospitality sector in the country through its unique ‘one-size-fits-one’ approach of creating exceptional lifestyle destination in Abuja Centenary City.

    With five prestigious properties in Dubai that are preferred by business and leisure visitors from Nigeria, The Address Hotels + Resorts has marked its global expansion with management contracts to operate The Address Marassi Golf Resort & Spa in Egypt. Additionally, the brand will operate The Address Masai Mara in Kenya, a retreat highlighted by the natural beauty of Kenya.

  • FMBN: Stunted by financial inadequacies

    FMBN: Stunted by financial inadequacies

    The Federal Government’s desire to tackle the estimated 17 million housing deficit in the country may be laudable. However, a key player in achieving this dream is the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, whose operational efficiency remains stunted by its capital base. MUYIWA LUCAS writes.

    When in 1956, the Federal Government established the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), the mandate was clear- to ensure the provision of housing for the teeming populace of the country. This is by way of providing mortgage finance assistance to Nigerians desirous of such support. But the apex mortgage financial institution, which has undergone several metamorphosis between 1956 and now, may not have been able to deliver fully on its mandate, irrespective of its desires.

    Now, following the Federal Government’s desire to build one million housing units annually, a ray of hope may have been rekindled. At various times, promises have been made by the government, where it always makes pledges to revolutionalise the sector by translating the National Housing Policy and National Urban Development Policy into a road map for housing development. Generally, delivering on these promises is believed to rest mainly on the FMBN, given its mandate.

    This is because the mortgage bank, from inception, is expected to play a pivotal role in developing a robust mortgage finance system for the country. With a mandate that among others, include promoting the growth of primary mortgage institutions to service the need of those desiring such services, through the mobilisation of both domestic and offshore funds into the housing sector; linking the capital market with the housing industry, establishing and operating a viable secondary mortgage market to support the primary mortgage market and collecting and administering the National Housing Fund (NHF) in accordance with the provisions of the NHF Act, the FMBN, as it were, has been an onerous task before it to date.

    Although the bank may have achieved some  feat, checks revealed that inadequate funding has remained an albatross for the mortgage lenders. Besides, experts in the industry are of the opinion that the lack of re-capitalisation and proper corporate governance, have also hampered the efficiency of the bank.

    For instance, the FMBN presently has a share capital of N5 billion. This figure, however, appears to be on paper. This is because, of this amount, only the Federal Government has fully paid up its own share of N2.5 billion.

    Other contributors to the fund such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) have not paid their 30 and 20 per cent shares respectively. This situation has led to the gross under-capitalisation of the mortgage bank, thereby making achieving its task, vey daunting.

    Besides, considering the volume of the cost requirement in providing houses for the majority of the population, which is put at about 160 million, the current share capital, if fully paid up, would remain a drop in the ocean for the lofty plans the government has for the housing sector.

    It is, therefore, not surprising that stakeholders in the industry have called for an upward review of the share capital for the FMBN. One man that has advocated for this, is the Managing Director of the bank,  Gimba Yau Kumo, who has urged the government to increase FMBN share capital to N200 billion from its present N5 billion.

    “We urge the Federal Government to increase the share capital of the FMBN from its present N5 billion to N200 billion to enable the bank address the housing deficit in the country, because addressing the over 17 million housing deficit in the country would require aggressive injection of funds by the Federal Government,’’ he said.

    But notwithstanding its limitation, particularly that of the housing deficit, the apex mortgage bank initiated projects, which have delivered about 53,000 houses through the NHF, as well as launching of the housing scheme for the informal sector, and the Estate Development Guarantee (EDG) scheme, amongst others. These initiatives, coupled with its appeal to recapitalise, are set to place the industry on a new pedestal.

    For instance, with the informal sector’s Cooperative Society Loan Scheme, Kumo explained that operators such as farmers, traders and artisans would be able to tap into the benefit from the National Housing Scheme, like those in the formal sector.

    ‘’The mortgage industry in Nigeria is just starting. If you look at the size of our contribution to the GDP, it is less than one per cent, but my target before I leave here, is that we should be able to contribute at least 15 per cent. That is why we are putting a lot of issues on ground to be able to drive this process.

    “And how do you do that? If you look at the NHF that we are managing, out of the 170 million population, less than one per cent are the ones contributing. So, we said this is not good enough. How do we reach the other segments of the society that are not in formal employment?” he queried.

    Explaining the reason for the establishment of the scheme, Kumo observed that people in the lowest strata of the society have not benefited from housing loans, because they have limited capacity to pay for houses, as the income they generate is very small.

    This, he further said, led to the introduction of the Cooperative Loan Scheme, which according to him, was brought about to extend the bank’s services to people who can be deemed as “disadvantaged” in the society because of their low income level, which may be irregular and difficult to access under the NHF loan window.

    Therefore, he said, the FMBN, under the scheme, is now using cooperative societies to benefit a certain group of people operating in the informal sector category, especially because of the nature and structure of their income, which is not definite or regular.

    “The loan enables a cooperative society that has acquired a plot of land to develop houses for allocation to its members. The parcel of land would have title in the name of the society which would act as facilitator on behalf of its members in the loan transaction and facilitate construction of the housing units. The root of the title of the estate land would be sublease to the beneficiaries,’’ Kumo explained.

    While the various strides by the agency may not have met all the expectations of stakeholders, majority of stakeholders are of the view that going by the steps taken so far, a bright future lay ahead of the industry. They expressed confidence that the FMBN has done well with its schemes and only needs some propping to deliver greater benefits to the people.

    The Managing Partner of Havillah Shelter, Mr. Isaiah Dualong, shared this view. According to him, if the policies initiated in this dispensation are well executed, the mortgage challenge in the country would have been greatly surmounted. “It is quite promising that we have seen programmes, which if fully implemented, would provide answers to the various housing questions in Nigeria. I am not in doubt that they are not on the right path. All we demand is for the Federal Government to keep faith with FMBN. Policy somersaults would not be in the interest of the good policies that have been put in place in the sector,’’ he warned.

    Similarly, the managing director of Chiekwena Homes, Chief Chike Chiekwena, observed that there is a new direction for the FMBN and the nation’s mortgage sector, adding that there is need for a comprehensive database for generating statistics. He said responsible government does not joke with its mortgage sector. He therefore, said there was huge relief when the government expressed seriousness about reinventing the sector.

    “So far, there are prospects and they are doing well. However, there has to be incentives and necessary legal and regulatory environment to attract public-private partnerships in mass housing development,’’ he noted.

    Other efforts by the FMBN include a mass housing scheme under the “rent-to-own” option for workers. Experts say if this is purposefully pursued, it will increase the number of completed mortgages from the current 20,000 housing units to more than 200,000 units in three years.

  • Nigeria’s first Underwater Lounge berths

    Nigeria’s first Underwater Lounge berths

    An estate development firm, Gran Imperio Group, through its subsidiary, Gran Imperio Resorts Limited, has said that it is developing a first of its kind resort on over three million square-meter land within a 100 kilometer stretch Island along the Atlantic Ocean, in Lagos.

    The resort, known as the Inagbe Grand Resorts and Leisure, is located just a few minutes from Victoria Island, and within a community rich in culture and history of ancient Lagos Monarchy.

    According to the managing director of Gran Imperio Group, Mr. Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the resort is the first of its kind in Lagos, with a potential of being one of the most attractive tourist centres in the megacity, which offers guests a unique benefit to experience intriguing views of the brilliant landscaped gardens complemented with fountains and the Lagos Lagoon direct from inside their suites. “Nestled between the Lagos Lagoon and the magnificent Atlantic Ocean, Inagbe Grand Resorts & Leisure provides exquisite scenic views of both abundant water bodies. Coupled with its clean skies and adoring sandy beaches, it is referred to as one of the most tranquil locations on the Lagos Island for vacation and relaxation,” he said.

    The first phase of the Inagbe Grand Resort and Leisure is, located on a 90-hectare land out of its total 300-hectares.

    Ogunwusi assured that the Resort, which is not too far from the Snake Island, will ultimately look like a snatch of Vegas in Lagos, but with a cultural twist that brings the Nigerian tradition to the forefront, especially given the traditional ambiance of its thatched roof and coconut souvenir factory that adorn the environment.

    Other features in the Inagbe Grand Resort and Leisure includes a five star hotel service; 650 kilometre floating platform for social outdoor activities; 18- hole golf course; four chalet rooms with Jacuzzi; Beach buggers for racing; paint ball shooting; common living room for guests with wide expanse area; swimming pools, productive machines to sustain the luxurious need of guests. This exotic resort also offers various membership schemes for both individuals and corporate bodies.

  • Engineers set tone for safe building, enviroment

    The proper use of cement for the production of concrete will provide a lasting solution to the incidence of building collapse.

    This is the submission by the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NIStructE) at its just concluded 27th Annual Conference and General Meeting at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos. The theme of the conference was “The Effect of Cement Strength on Concrete Performance.” Cement forms the predominant structural material in the low/medium rise zone of the Built Environment, where the incidence of building collapse is most prevalent in Nigeria,

    For the prevention of the loss of lives and the colossal wastage of resources associated with  incidence of building collapse recommendations were made at the end of the conference to address the situation.

    They included the government backing of competent and qualified practice of structural engineering by legislation. This, according to them, would enable professionals into design and superintend construction of structures, which buildings are just an aspect, for their integrity, good performance, safety and comfort of the users.

    They also recommended that structural design and supervision of structures should only be handled by competent and qualified professional structural engineers.

    Importantly, stakeholders at the conference recommended that the checking and approval of buildings for construction should be done by, or under the supervision of a competent and qualified structural engineer in the office of the relevant approving authorities.

    They equally recommended that construction of buildings should be handled by a team of competent technical personnel, one of whom must be a structural engineer to ensure the integrity and efficiency of the structure throughout its life span.

    The body noted that concrete forms the main component of any reinforced structure and cement is the binder of the concrete components. “Therefore, for good properties and performance of concrete, the quality of the cement used for the production of the concrete must be such as to produce the designer’s specified strength of concrete,” it said.

    On the issue of suitability of cement grade for specific jobs, stakeholders at the conference agreed that a structural engineer is in the best position to specify the best grade of cement necessary to meet his design specifications.

    They, therefore, canvassed for  more emphasis on the manufacturing process of cement for concrete to ensure that they meet international or country standards, irrespective of their grades by the regulating authorities.

    NIStructE then urged the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to effectively enforce the production of High Yield and Mild Steel rods with characteristic strengths of 460N/mm2 and 250N/mm2 respectively, of appropriate sizes.

    SON, it further recommended, should compel all steel manufacturers to clearly label their products by size and Yield Strength and issue certificates of quality assurance on every consignment.

    Earlier, NIStructE national President, Samuel Ilugbekhai, an engineer, had warned against the use of beach sand, especially in Lagos, for block making and construction of buildings.

    This, according to him, is because of the negative effect of salt (short and long term) on reinforcement and other components of concrete.

    He advised that only clean and potable water should be used for the production of concrete to avoid chemical impurities, which have adverse effects on the concrete.

  • Fed Govt upgrades GGW/PIU

    The Federal Government has upgraded the Great Green Wall/ Programme Implementation Unit GGW/PIU into an agency. The agency, which is now  The National Agency on Great Green Wall (NAGGW), was approved by the President to address the challenges of Desertification in the Northern parts of the country.

    At the official handing over in Abuja, the Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Goni  Ahmed, said President Goodluck Jonathan saw the need to upgrade the unit because he is passionate about environmental issues. According to him, environmental issues are major issues in the Northern part of Nigeria that affect both economic and social activities of the people leading to abject poverty. He advised the staff to re dedicate themselves to the task ahead with a view to realising the expectation of President Jonathan and his transformation agenda.

    In his remarks, Dr. Bukar Hassan, the Director, Drought and Desertification Amelioration (DDA), who was also the immediate Head of the (GGW/PIU), thanked the Federal Government for upgrading the unit to a full-fledged agency.

    He said the PIU which operated under the Federal Ministry of Environment was managed by the Drought and Desertification Amelioration Department (DDA) to curb the menace of desertification. Hassan thanked the workers for the cooperation accorded him and wished the new Accounting Officer/CEO success in his endeavours.